April Favourites

Whilst flicking back through my recent blog posts, it dawned on me that I haven't actually written a monthly favourites post in nearly a year. So with April passing by in a flash (& in a bid to win back some blogging points) I thought this would be the perfect opportunity to share a few of the items I've been loving this month.

The first item that I've been loving this month is the romantic novel by author Jojo Moyes; Me Before You. The story follows main character Lou Clark as she leaves her comfortable - & a little boring - life behind to work with Will Traynor, a successful businessman left with devastating injuries following a motorcycle accident. This is a heartbreakingly beautiful story that left me hanging on every word - however, be sure to keep the tissues near by.. it's definitely a tear jerker!

Throughout April I've also found myself taking a break from my usual perfume's & reaching for Viktor & Rolf's Flowerbomb. With notes of Mandarin, Jasmine & Freesia I've found that the floral scent make this a perfect perfume to wear as we head into Spring.

When it came to beauty throughout April I've found myself reaching for two items more than others. The first to make my favourites is the Real Techniques Powder Brush. With it's large, soft bristles & described as providing "smooth, high-definition results" I find this perfect for application of both  pressed & loose powders. The second beauty item that I've been loving this month is a cult favourite within the beauty world - Benefit's They're Real mascara. As someone who doesn't tend to wear false eyelashes, I genuinely find this to be the next best thing. Not only does it add curl & volume but it really does last throughout the day (perfect for day to night wear).

Last but not least is an item that I couldn't leave off my favourites list this month - the Invisibobble. Not only is this product gentle on the hair by helping to reduce split ends, it also eliminates the annoying "kink" that comes from using regular hair-bands. Something that is perfect for anyone who has long and/or thick hair like me.

I personally love reading monthly favourite posts, so hope you've enjoyed a little insight into a few of the items I've been loving throughout April. If there are any products that I've missed, be sure to let me know in the comments - I'm always on the look out for a new favourite item.

xxx

Simple Spring Make-up

Anyone in the UK will know that warm weather is not something we experience all to often. However now the sun seems to finally made a slight appearance, I'm very excited to dust of my Spring make-up & start creating a few lighter/brighter looks.

Below is a something I put together before heading off for a pub lunch - very stereotypically British, I know - & as it's my first real spring make-up look of 2016 I thought I'd share it here.

For the base of my make-up I decided to go with Rimmel's BB Cream. I love this as an alternative to foundation as it offers good coverage without feeling to heavy on the skin - perfect for the warmer weather. As foundation (or BB Creams) rarely cover all imperfections I opted for Collection's Lasting Perfection Concealer - a cult favourite within the beauty world - to cover any remaining blemishes/red marks. I then dusted a light layer of Max Factors Translucent Setting Powder. A loose powder that feels beautifully lightweight on the skin & is a great way to set make-up without leaving the skin feeling at all cakey. 

When it came to bronzer, I decided to opt for Rimmel's Natural Bronzer. A natural looking bronzer that is perfect for adding a little warmth back to my face again. I then complimented this by using Make-up Revolution's Baked Highlighter "Golden Lights". Not only does the slight shimmer in this product make it perfect for highlighting those cheekbones, it also looks gorgeous when the light bounces off of it. The third & final product I used on my skin was a peach-tones blush from Make-up Revolution called Treat. This is a pretty peach-toned blush that creates just the right glow (although this doesn't seem to show too well in photos..oops). 

For brows I opted for a much-loved product of mine - Soap & Glory's Archery. Not only is the tiny-tapered pencil perfect for a creating fine/hair-like strokes, the attached spoolie is also great for blending any excess product (click here to read a full review). To set this I then used Rimmel's Brow This Way in clear - a styling gel designed to keep any unruly hairs in place throughout the day. 

Next - came mascara. Something I wanted to keep relativity natural & therefore opted for Benefit's They're Real Tinted Primer. Although designed to be used underneath the They're Real Mascara, I find this to be a perfect product for a daytime look as it adds length & definition without being too dramatic. 

The last product I used to create this look was an Estee Lauder Lipstick in the shade Wildly Pink A gorgeous shade with a creamy formulae that can either be used lightly to create a subtle pink colour (similar to above) or built up for a more dramatic, statement look. (Side note - the packaging in the link seems to have changed but the shade is still the same). 

I personally love this look & the products used as I find it looks like I've made an effort without feeling to heavy on the skin. Perfect for the warmer Spring months. 

What are your favourite make-up products

to use during Spring? 

xxx

Birchbox | Best. Year. Ever.

For those who don't know Birchbox runs a new theme each month. So - with the vision of starting the year with a bang -  Birchbox have teamed up with Pinterest to create the "Best. Year. Ever" for January's box.

So after falling instantly in love with the treats in December's Birchbox (read a full review here) it's safe to say that I was very excited to receive an email to remind me that my January box had been dispatched.

Items received: 

Absolution Cleansing Water [x]

Whish Body Butter [x]

Jelly Pong Pong Lightening Pencil [x]

Parlor Shampoo & Conditioner [x]

Benefit "They're Real" Tinted Lash Primer [x]

#NoFilter Mirror [x]

Pinterest Post Cards

The first thing that stood out to me was how gorgeous the box itself looks. You can never go wrong with a combination of inspirational quotes, cute photos & *of course* lots of pink. I also love the Pinterest inspired post cards -  these would make a perfect inspirational quote to pin around the house or as a cute little note to a friend. 

There are a few products that instantly caught my eye this month including Benefit's Lash Primer (as a huge fan of the They're Real Mascara I have high hopes for this) & Absolution's cleansing water which boasts to be the perfect product for removing make-up. 

Overall it's safe to say that I'm very happy with the products that I've received from Birchbox this month with the only downside being that the cute pink mirror had arrived smashed. I'm looking forward to testing each new item & hoping to find something new to add to my favourites.

Have you tried any of these products?

What are your thoughts?

xxx

January Sales Wishlist - Part One

Now that Christmas has officially come to an end *sobs* only one thing can cheer me up.. January Sales. There's nothing I love more than finding a good bargain, especially if that bargain is on an item I've been lusting over for months.

Of course actually attending sales in person is not for me (you won't find me queuing outside Next at 5 am on boxing day) BUT I do love to sit at my laptop from the comfort of my own home (preferably in pyjamas, with chocolate & a good Disney film on the telly) ready to find a good bargain from my favourite online stores.

As there are quite a few items on my wish list this year,  I have decided to put together a two part "mini-series" detailing all the items that have managed to find their way onto my "Sale Wishlist".

Welcome to part one - all things beauty! 

1. Benefit's "You're So Party" Gift Set - Boots - £26.33 reduced from £39.50 [x]

2. Urban Decay "Smoky Eye Palette" - Feel Unique - £34.20 reduced from £38.00 [x]

3. Clarisonic Mia 2, Keith Haring Special Edition - Feel Unique - £100.00 reduced from £125.00 [x]

4. Liz Earle "Sparkling Skin Duo" Set - Boots - £18.66 reduced from £28.00 [x]

5. Colour Crush Festive Lipstick in shade "Coral Blush" - The Body Shop - £5.00 reduced from £10.00 [x]

6. Real Techniques Bold Metals Essentials kit with Bag - Boots - £25.00 reduced from £64.00 [x]

Above are a mix of products that I have tried/tested & fallen in love with - Liz Earle being a holy grail product of mine - along with new items that I've had my eye for a while now. These include Urban Decay's "Smoky eye" palette & the Clarisonic facial brush, both of which have received great reviews within the blogging world. I also found the sets from Benefit & Real Techniques to be of amazing value when the original price & products themselves are considered. 

I hope you liked the first post within my little January Sales series - Part two will feature all things Fashion/Home-ware. 

Have you tried any of the above products?

What are your thoughts?

xxx

December's "It's Time To Shine" Birchbox

As someone who loves all things beauty, the idea of receiving monthly treats is something that has been tempting me for some time now. Whilst there are many beauty subscription services currently available, after a few hours of research (aka reading different blog posts) it became clear that Birchbox  (currently retailing at £10 per month  + £2.95 pp) is up there with the most popular. So as a little Christmas treat to myself - I decided to order December's "It's time to shine" box. 

Contents: 

Benefit "They're real" push up liner [x]
Ciate Nail Varnish in shade "Dangerous affair" [x]

Rituals "T'ai Chi" Foaming Shower Gel [x]

Benefit's "Puff off" [x]

Liz Earle Cleanse and Polish with muslin cloth [x]
Model Co Lipstick in shade "Smitten" [x]

Clutch Bag [x]

(Although not the same, I've linked the closets bag I can find)

This month's box includes an impressive selection of luxury samples. This includes popular products that I am yet to try for myself - such as the Ciate polish & both Benefit samples - & others already hold a place within my every-day favourites (I'm looking at you Liz Earle). I also love the addition of a clutch bag instead of the usual box itself. In my opinion this adds the perfect touch of glamour for the Christmas period.

It's safe to say that I was in no way disappointed with the treats featured inside this months box & I can't wait to try them all out for myself. If you're interested in any of the products featured in this months box, I've linked the full size version of each above.

Have you ever tried Birchbox?

What are your thoughts?

xxx

A Benefit Mini Haul

It seems that I may have accidentally purchased some new beauty items.. again *oops*. But who can simply browse make-up counters without picking up at least something.. This little trip resulted in me being drawn to Benefit's counter & treating myself to a few more beauty products to add to my collection.

1. They're Real Mascara - £19.50 [x]
2. The Pore-fessional Pro Balm/Primer - £24.50 [x]
3. Watt's Up Highlighter - £24.50 [x]
(The mascara & highlighter shown are miniatures, however I've linked the full size products as I couldn't find the miniatures online) 

The first product I picked up is one that has received high amounts of praise within the blogging world & something I've had my eye one for a while now."They're Real" boasts to create "bigger, bolder & sexier lashes".. what girl doesn't crave that?!

Next is Benefit's "watt's up" highlighter. This is a gorgeous champagne coloured cream highlighter that claims to offer a luminous glow for all complexions. The little light-bulbs on the packaging also make this ridiculously cute.

Last but not least, is the Pore-fessional Pro Balm/Primer. This claims to be a lightweight balm to minimize the appearance of pores & keep make-up in place throughout the day. Whilst I don't really have a problem with my pores, I have been looking for a new primer for a while now - hopefully it'll live up to my expectations!

Since picking these products up I've found that I've have been very impressed *yay*. Watch this space for a full review.

Have you tried any of these products?
What are your thoughts?
xxx